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Scooby-Doo: Return to Zombie Island (2019)
A disappointment & and a wasted opportunity
A major disappointment I'm afraid to say. Such a wasted opportunity. I usually love all the Scooby-Doo DTV movies, but Return to Zombie Island did not impress me. You can't help but compare it to the original Zombie Island, which is just brilliant.
This sequel isn't worthy of association in my books. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into too much detail, but the supernatural elements are practically discarded. Instead we get a plot that's contrived & boring, and jokes that are hit and miss (mostly miss). Also, the way Velma is written in this movie is an affront to her character. Yes she's a skeptic, but you can be a skeptic without being an insufferable know-it-all.
On the whole, the children will probably enjoy it, but for those of us who grew up with the original, Return to Zombie Island is a wasted attempt to capitalise on the nostalgia of the original movie. If, like me, you love the original Zombie Island, skip this mess.
The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972)
An extended, goofy and fun Scooby series
The New Scooby-Doo Movies may not be as good as the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! but that's not to say it isn't just as fun. The episodes in this show are extended (around 38-40 mins) allowing for twice the shenanigans. There's also the addition of celebrity guests to help the gang solve the mystery each episode, which allows for a lot of funny moments.
Whilst some of the episodes can become a little tedious due to the longer run time, on the whole the episodes are thoroughly enjoyable. The quality of animation seems to have been taken down a notch, with some glaring errors throughout the series, but this can be overlooked (maybe that's just the nostalgia speaking).
The voice cast remains the same as the second season of SDWAY, with Casey Kasem, Heather North, Nicole Jaffe, Frank Welker and Don Messick reprising their roles as Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, Fred and Scooby respectively, and they are all excellent in their roles.
The guest stars on the show are varied, for example the Addams Family, Sonny and Cher, Batman and Robin, The Harlem Globetrotters, Davy Jones etc, and it's nice watching them interact with the gang and helping with the investigation. In my opinion some of the guests are used more effectively than others but that's just me.
One of the minor issues I have with a few episodes is that there are instances where the writers tried to make jokes that were just not very funny or just felt a bit cringe. Like in the first episode with The Three Stooges, Fred jokes that the desert is like a woman, it goes on and on and on, and he says this to Daphne! Also in the episode with Davy Jones, again Fred (come on Fred, what are you at) makes a 'quip' about women when the girls offer to help Davy out of a suit of armour after he fell down a flight of stairs. "Women, go figure them out". Alright Fred, you're trying to be funny and it's just not. Aside from these silly jokes, the humour is pretty good overall.
Overall, The New Scooby-Doo movies is a fun show that is quite often overlooked by fans. I can remember quite a few of the episodes vividly and enjoyed rewatching them all again before writing this review. If you haven't seen the show already I would suggest watching it. If you're a first time Scooby viewer, maybe it would be best to start off with average length episodes from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! or The Scooby-Doo Show, but if you're a Scooby fan who has somehow missed this series... give it a go! Some episodes may seem a bit boring due to a weak story and so-so guests, but on the whole the show is a lot of fun with some very memorable episodes.
Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! (2015)
The funniest show in the franchise
Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! is another great addition to the franchise after my personal favourite series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. Being the 12th incarnation of the show, you'd think the mileage would have ran out by now. Being a massive Scooby-Doo fan myself, however, I would feel saddened if they stopped producing shows, especially if they are to the quality of the latest two series.
Be Cool is by far the funniest show in the franchise. After Mystery Inc. which had a much darker and scarier tone, it was great to see a series which also experimented with something new. This comedy driven incarnation of the show is a strong follow up to Mystery Inc. You are bound to laugh many times per episode, and the show just gets funnier as you continue to watch.
The characters in the show are similar to previous incarnations. Scooby and Shaggy are still their same old selves, hungry, cowardly and hilarious. Velma and Fred are also pretty similar to previous versions of the characters, yet their personalities are tweaked so as to fit the tone of the show. Fred is usually used as a foil to Daphne (which I will get to soon), whilst Velma retains her status as the most intellectual of the gang. Both characters are given their individual fears, Fred of widths and Velma of water, which makes for great gags throughout the series. Daphne sees the most radical change in character. The show really brings her to the forth as a comedy character, as each episode she has a new 'Daphne Du Jour', where she gets up to all sorts of antics. It's a fun take on the character, and really suits the tone of the show.
As for the voice actors, everyone is the same as in Mystery Inc. Frank Welker voices both Fred and Scooby, Matthew Lillard voices Shaggy, and Grey Griffin voices Daphne. Kate Micucci is a great addition to the show in her first series as Velma, and she is excellent.
The mystery element of the show is not lost in the comedy, as the two elements work wonderfully together. The explanation of the villain's plot is nicely recapped in illustrated flashback sequences at the end of each episode. The show also brings back musical chase sequences after their absence in Mystery Inc., and the songs used are really catchy. One last thing I want to touch upon is the character designs. This show gets a lot of criticism because of how the gang looks. Whilst it is not my favourite version of the characters, I have to say that the designs match the tone of the show perfectly.
Overall, Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! is a fantastic show and a great addition to the Scooby franchise. It's great to have a Scooby show that really emphasises the humour. I would definitely recommed it to others. Give it a chance! Once you get used to the character designs, the show is really enjoyable. Like the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover.
What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002)
Into the noughties and back on form for Scooby
What's New, Scooby-Doo? is a great series in the Scooby franchise. Whilst A Pup Named Scooby-Doo was a good series on the whole, it's great to see the gang how we know them best... teenage sleuths. Launched into the 21st century, the series follows the basic formula of the original show, with the full gang solving mysteries wherever they go.
The voice acting in the show is on point, with Frank Welker and Casey Kasem voicing Fred/Scooby and Shaggy respectively, and featuring both Mindy Cohn and Grey Griffin in their first series as Velma and Daphne respectively. The characters remain true to the original show, but I feel Velma, Daphne and Fred receive more characterisation here which is great. Shaggy and Scooby are their usual goofy, hungry, scared selves.
This series also brings back the Hex Girls in the episode "The Vampire Strikes Back" which is great, you can never have enough Hex Girls. There's plenty of other guest appearances as well (most of which, truth be told, the kids won't know but hey ho) including Simple Plan, who lend their vocals to the classic theme tune of the show.
Keeping on the theme song, I mean what can I say. It's a classic. One of the best theme songs to a Scooby show since the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and definitely the second most memorable. This series also features musical chase scenes, and they're simply a delight. Plenty of great songs are used throughout the 3 seasons.
A few more things. The inclusion of holiday themed episodes are a nice touch to the show, including A Scooby-Doo! Christmas and A Scooby-Doo Halloween. The tone of the series nicely blends comedic elements with the scarier elements, quite similar to the Scooby-Doo Show. Lastly, the gang's outfits are slightly different in this incarnation. Whilst Shaggy and Velma are pretty much the same, the noticeable changes are in the outfits of Fred and Daphne. Whilst I do miss the iconic ascot and scarf worn by the pair, this modern take is nothing to complain about, and gives the show its own distinctive identity.
Overall, What's New, Scooby-Doo? is a great Scooby show that I would definitely recommend to fans of the original series. Compared to the next installment in the run of cartoons, Shaggy & Scoby-Doo Get a Clue!, this show has it all for Scooby lovers. The whole gang solving mysteries, getting up to all sorts of antics and providing you with laughs, scares and much more. What more do you want from this team of mystery solving teens and their canine companion?
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010)
Best incarnation of the classic series
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is my favourite Scooby series. Whilst the original SDWAY is irreplaceable, Mystery Inc. is, in my opinion, the strongest entry in the franchise so far. Here's why I think so.
As well as staying true to the main essence of the show, with monster-of-the-week episodes, humour, action, and likeable characters, MI introduced an over-arching story/mystery. Handled much more capably than in 13 Ghosts, the over-arching plot here is intriguing to follow and watch unravel as the show progresses. With the ball rolling from the very first episode and spanning the entirety of the 52 episodes, this aspect of the show is without a doubt one of its main strenghts.
The characters of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and of course Scooby-Doo, and the journey they take as individuals, and also as friends, is another great aspect of the series. They are fleshed out much more than in early seasons, especially Fred and Daphne, and each member of the gang is given family members who we get to learn more about throughout the show. Also explored are the romantic relationships between Fred and Daphne, and Velma and Shaggy. As someone who is a lifelong Scooby fan, the "Fraphne" relationship is one of my favourite elements of the show and I was so glad for it to finally be explored in depth. Velma and Shaggy's relationship is also developed, and the impact of such on Scooby, but you'll have to watch to see how that pans out.
Moving forward, I simply love the art style of this series. It is noticeably darker than say WNSD or BCSD, and I just love it. So much care is taken to form gorgeous backdrops, and the character designs are my favourite for a series since the original SDWAY (retaining their classic outfits, but with a new twist regarding the look of the characters). The animation is near perfect, and is just a pleasure to watch.
Lastly, I'll just touch on a few other things. The opening theme is short but sweet. Very catchy and original. I actually like just an instrumental theme, it suits the tone of the show well. The monsters in the show are actually pretty scary, with episodes to match (if you don't believe me just watch "The Creeping Creatures"). Whilst there are no musical chase scenes, the action sequences are just as good. And finally, there are plenty of nods and references to the franchise's long history, e.g. the exhibits in the Crystal Cove Spooky Museum, the character of Vincent Van Ghoul, as well as THE HEX GIRLS!! (Lol), and much more.
Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone, Scooby fan or not. It is such a great addition to the franchise, and definitely earns the title as one of the best series in the Scooby franchise.